Thursday, October 13, 2016

2 Makeovers: Office & Guest Bedroom + Tips

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We have company coming in just a couple of weeks, so I've been tying up loose ends throughout the house, making-over rooms, trying to make our home feel more cozy & inviting.

See how it all came together below!

The first space I made-over used to be our formal dinning room, but as you can see it was only that in name. We hardly ever used this room, since it was dark, completely bare and devoid of any real function.

This room did have a couple redeeming qualities-like it's high ceilings & natural light, but I just hadn't quite found the right pieces to make the room pop yet. Until now that is.

So here's what we did to transform the space from decor limbo into my now lovely office. The first thing we did was paint the walls a gorgeous moonshine grey, which gaves us a nice clean slate to work with.

After that I looked around the house to see what I could utilize & re-purpose for this room to switch things up & save some $$. Once, I exhausted that option, I needed to get some high quality furniture pieces & home decor accents, so I headed to Big Lots. I've had really great luck with them in the past, so I try to stop there ever so often to see what new inventory they have.

I ended up getting an awesome haul from Big Lots, everything you see above, plus a couple more large furniture pieces not pictured here. I love when I can get a big bulk of my things from one store, since It's so tough shopping with kiddos {I'm sure all you mommas can relate}! Thankfully the staff at Big Lots are always super helpful, and always help out with the heavy lifting and loading {they're seriously the best}!

Here's a closer look at what I put in my new office.

We dressed up the room by adding some tan & white striped curtains. I'm always amazed at what some nice window treatments can do for the overall feel & look of a room! I just LOVE these striped floor to ceiling curtains {we use to have these in our master bedroom back before we changed our color scheme to go with our DIY floral headboard}. I think they fit-in perfectly in this room & give it an air of elegance.

Since I have a slight obsession with gold & teal accents, I thought I would make these two colors my foundation for the space, as I continued to decorate I wanted to add a little extra warmth so I threw in some browns/wood decor and some pops of pink.

One thing, I really wanted to create was a cozy reading nook. I achieved this by pairing this chocolate tub chair I found at Big Lots with a pink pillow and gold lamp. I think eventually I'll add a soft throw & a basket to complete the space, but for now it works great! Plus, I keep reminding myself that It's all a huge improvement from where I started!

I'm a sucker for inspirational plaques and these right here not only fit my personality & style but also the feel of the room perfectly!

We have a family command center in the Kitchen, but I need to have a personal editorial calendar in my office for all my work. This command center is simple, but perfect for my needs.When it came to organizing my office, I knew I wanted to go with the Ameriwood cube storage System, they're very affordable and incredibly chic!This sign below definitely deserved a spot in my office! Anyone that knows me personally can tell ya I can be more than a little stubborn when I get my mind on something:)!

I was really glad to find these fabric bin organizers in this beautiful aqua color{also by Ameriwood}. They come in bunch of different colors & patterns but these were just what I needed for the room. Maybe now I can keep all my crafts organized!

Since I accomplished giving this space it's much needed function, I decided I was allowed a few non-necessities: like this dainty gold mouse. Yes, it's definitely not practical in any way but very cute, right?!

Aside from giving this room a purpose again, I'm just thrilled to have this space finished and it not be an absolute eye-sore anymore! Our home's open concept layout was not very forgiving and this room's emptiness was very obvious before.It looks much better now right?Like I mentioned earlier, we have company coming at the end of the month, so I've been trying to get our home ready for them. After completing my office, the only other space needing an extra dose of TLC was our guest bedroom. It really just needed some extra warmth to make it feel a little more cozy. It was just fine before but definitely not great {or very inviting}!

The main things I did to refresh this room & make it brighter & more welcoming is add-in more whites. I did this through new bedding, new linens, new night stand, a shag rug & mirror. I also swapped out the lamp & throw blanket, to bring in a pop of color.This mirror use to be black & in our first living room downstairs. I gave it a fresh coat of paint and made this Forsythia wreath to go on top. They're small details, but they make the room feel elegant & cohesive!

Here's a look at the old night stand & decor we had in this room. Like I said, it was ok, but I didn't love it.

I've been really drawn to wood-pallet decor lately. It's an easy way to add rustic charm to any room and a current obsession of mine. When I spotted this darling "Be our guest" accessory, I knew it was coming home with me! Super cute, right?!

This room looks so bright and inviting now, It's amazing what just a few changes can do for a room.

I know decorating, and making your house feel like a homecan be a challenge, especially when you don't have an endless amount of money & you have company coming! So here are some tips to help you decorate as well as get your home ready for company:

1. My favorite tip for redecorating on a budget is to shop your home first! Look around your house and see what things could be refreshed, re-purposed & improved. And, If you don't love a piece of furniture/accessory because it's no longer working for you or the space it's in, then paint it. A fresh coat of paint is an easy fix that can drastically change the look of any piece. Plus there's a ton of low maintenance alternatives, like chalk paint & my personal favorite: gold spray paint. :)

2. Something to keep in mind when you're redoing a room & planning to invest in new furniture/decor pieces is to visualize them not only for the space you're currently shopping for but also for another room in your home. So, if later down the road you want to refresh your decor again, your select pieces have the versatility to go into another room.

3. Play around with your layout. Sometimes, the furniture that you have just isn't in the right place. Move it around, it's amazing how just rearranging the furniture will make it look like new. And don't be afraid to mix furniture styles. Once you start adding in your accessories it will help tie-in everything and make your space look cohesive.

4. An easy way to appeal to your guests & make them feel welcomed is by adding some special touches just for them. I like to do this through gift baskets & notes. Welcome baskets are an easy & practical way to show your guests that you've been thinking of them and you want them to feel at home! I like to put items that they might need or want while they are visiting like snacks, drinks, and toiletries {but you can put in just about anything you can think of:)}.5. New Sheets- There's just something about having new & fresh smelling bedding that sets you at ease and lets you get a goodnight's rest! I like to have freshly washed sheets in the bed, but then have an extra pair of sheets in the dresser {which is across from the bed}, along with warm blankets & throws.

6. Easy access to necessities. I find that eliminating the guesswork for guests makes their stay that much more enjoyable. I always like to let guests know where in their room they can find their little extras; like towels, throws, sheets, pillows and toiletries {for us that's the dresser}.7. Shop smart- maximizing your time & funds by shopping somewhere you can find everything on your list for your home & your guests {furniture, decor, food, toiletries} for a reasonable price is the only way to go!That's it! My top 7 tips for making your home feel more welcoming & comfortable for guests!Do you have guests coming this holiday season? If so, how do you get your home ready for company?